Novak Djokovic smashes racquet in Italian Open quarterfinals

With the frame broken and the strings moving all over, Djokovic had to get a new racket and receive a warning from the chair umpire.

“This is not the first or last rocket I will break in my career,” Djokovic said. “I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again. I don’t want to do it but it will happen when it comes.

“That way, I’m release my anger sometimes and it’s definitely not the best message out there, especially young tennis players watching me, and I’m not encouraging it – for sure.”

See | Djokovic loses his temper once again:

Djokovic, who is at the top, said he learned a “big lesson” after being knocked out of the US Open on Monday, when he accidentally punched a line judge in the throat and angrily hit the ball. Djokovic also acknowledged that “I’m out and it’s a personality and a player I’ve always been.”

In For Italico, Djokovic was frustrated during the game before breaking his racket, glaring at the umpire, some overrules and the point he was ordered to replay.

“That’s just me,” Djokovic said. “Actually I’m not perfect and I’m doing my part.”

See | Novak Djokovic hits the line referee with the ball at the US Open:

Rudd is the 1st Norwegian to reach the Masters 1000 tournament semis

The 97th-ranked Coffer, who screamed in frustration throughout the match, was warned he had been abused early in the third set.

Aiming for his fifth title in Rome, Djokovic’s semifinal opponent, Caspar Rudd, defeated local favorite Matteo Berettini 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) in a match that lasted two hours and 57 minutes.

The first Norwegian to reach the semifinals of the Masters 1000 tournament. His father, Christian Rudd, reached the Masters quarterfinals in Monte Carlo in 1997.

Shapovalov into the semis

In the other semifinals, Richmond Hill will face 12th seed Denis Shapovalov of Camel and 8th seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina.

Shapovalov defeated 15th seed Gregor Dimitrov 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, while Schwartzman defeated clay court specialist and world number 2 Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-5.

See | Shapovalov’s 100th victory sends him into the semis:

While fans have not yet been allowed into the tournament – the Italian sports minister said on Friday that 1,000 spectators will be allowed into the semifinals and finals – workers, family members and other spectators inside the picturesque Petrangeli Stadium gave some support to Beretti.

Nicola Pitrangeli, the 1957 and 1961 Rome champion and man of the stadium name, was also among those seated on the white marble stands.

“There was a lot more adrenaline with the fans,” Beretti said.